Charade
by al2010
Summary: Sakura goes to meet up with Sasuke for a date, but things take a turn for the unexpected when she discovers not everything is what it seems.


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in way, shape or form. Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Sakura was in a rush to get to her date with Sasuke on time. She ran through the streets earning many strange looks from passerby. Once she reached team seven's training ground she stopped and looked around for Sasuke. Sasuke was nowhere in sight. However, Naruto was leaning on the railings of the bridge. Sakura asked, "Where's Sasuke? He was supposed to meet up with me for our date." Naruto let out a deep sigh, "Sakura, Sasuke's dead. He's been dead for the past two years." She didn't believe Naruto, "But I saw him yesterday and we made plans to meet here today." Naruto gave her a disturbed look and reiterated, "Sasuke's been dead for two years. Sakura, you can't keep living in the past, it's not healthy!" Sasuke couldn't be dead; she had seen him the other day, hadn't she? If that hadn't been him, then who was it that she had seen and been going on dates with for the past two years?

Just as Sakura began to be lost in her thoughts, she saw Sasuke walking towards her. She tugged on Naruto's sleeve and pointed towards Sasuke. Naruto turned white, as if he had seen a ghost, "Sakura, that's not Sasuke. It might look like him, but that can't be him. I saw him buried with my own eyes. Whoever this is must be using a henge to appear to be Sasuke. Don't go near him Sakura!" Sakura didn't listen to Naruto and instead ran towards Sasuke.

Sasuke embraced Sakura and looked towards Naruto, "What's the dobe doing here?" Sakura told Sasuke that he had been here when she arrived. She looked at Naruto and noticed that he was in deep concentration. Suddenly, Naruto jumped up and attacked Sasuke without warning. Sasuke immediately took a defensive stance. Naruto yelled, "You're not Sasuke! Who are you?" Sasuke insisted that he was indeed Sasuke. Naruto and Sasuke continued to fight while Sakura watched with an unreadable expression on her face. Naruto finally landed a punch to Sasuke's face and the henge failed, leaving Naruto and Sakura to face Neji.

Sakura gasped once she saw that Naruto had been right, and that she had been going on dates with an impostor for the past two years. She paled and turned to look at Neji with questioning eyes. Neji quietly replied to her unspoken question, "It was me. I've been transforming into Sasuke ever since his death. I couldn't stand to see you look as broken as you did during his funeral. I just wanted to continue to see you smile. During the mission two years ago, the Uchiha made me swear to protect you after he died and to make you happy. Ever since the Uchiha returned and you began dating him, I've watched you and studied him. I think that the Uchiha knew how I felt about you from the start. Once he died, I saw my chance to protect you and finally be with you. Sakura, I've been in love with you for a very long time, since we first went on the mission to rescue Gaara. I've seen you grow and learned that you aren't weak, in fact, you're stronger than most of the ninja I know. I wish I had told you my feelings before the Uchiha returned, then maybe I wouldn't have resorted to this deception."

For once, Naruto was speechless as he witnessed the strange exchange between Neji and Sakura. Sakura cleared her throat and looked up at Neji, "I forgive you. I understand that this deception wasn't a malicious act. In fact, I think that it was very kind of you to want to protect me from the pain that Sasuke's death caused. I think that I always knew that Sasuke was dead, I just didn't want to accept it. Although I'm not sure Sasuke wanted you to disguise yourself as him in order to protect me, I understand that you thought that that was the easiest way to get close to me. Neji, what you did was undeniably creepy, but your heart was in the right place." Naruto snapped out of his stupor and asked Sakura what she was going to do with Neji now that his charade had been discovered.

Sakura slowly looked up at Neji and pulled him in for a tight hug. "I think I'll give him a chance. I'll go out with you, but on one condition. You have to be yourself, don't try to be Sasuke for me. I want to learn about Hyuuga Neji, not continue to live in my fantasy of Sasuke still being alive. I'm sorry I've been selfish. Will you forgive me?" Neji let a small smile slip onto his face as he whispered his acceptance of her terms into her ear.


End file.
